Tribal Maritime Heritage and Cultural Tourism in Washington State Postdoctoral Fellow

https://www.nationalparks.org/nps-mellon-humanities-postdoctoral-fellowship

https://usaconservationmellonfellowships.applicantpool.com/jobs/1034613

The National Park Service (NPS) Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship Program places recent humanities PhDs with NPS sites and programs across the agency. In collaboration with NPS staff and partners, the incoming cohort of Mellon Humanities Fellows will complete original research projects, and develop new interpretive and educational programming, helping the agency connect more people to places that matter by incorporating new sources and perspectives into its storytelling.

The Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is a signature element of the National Park Service’s commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, during which the Park Service will join with other agencies and all Americans to celebrate and contemplate the meaning of the Declaration of Independence and its relevance to our lives today. As the steward of our nation’s parks, heritage sites, and special places, NPS is committed to learning from the complex and challenging histories contained within them, building toward a future of freedom and possibility for all Americans.

This opportunity is supported by a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation through the National Park Foundation (NPF). The project is administered via a three-way agreement among NPS, National Park Foundation (NPF), and American Conservation Experience (ACE).


Job Title:

National Park Service Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow: Tribal Maritime Heritage and Cultural Tourism in Washington State

Employer:

American Conservation Experience (ACE)

Department:

EPIC Program, National Park Service (NPS) Division

Location:

Seattle, Washington

Status:

Temporary, Full-time, Exempt

Term:

Position is fully funded through August 31, 2026

Start Date:

On or about August 26, 2024

Host Description:

This Fellowship is placed with the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, based in Seattle, WA. The Washington Trust was designated by Congress in 2019 as the local coordinating entity for the new Maritime Washington National Heritage Area. As Washington’s only statewide historic preservation advocacy nonprofit, the Washington Trust is dedicated to saving the places that matter in Washington State and to promoting sustainable and economically viable communities through historic preservation.

The Maritime Washington National Heritage Area (NHA) supports a network that strengthens the maritime community and connects people with the stories, experiences, resources, and cultures of Washington State’s saltwater shores and waterways. Spanning 3,000 miles of Washington State’s saltwater shoreline, Maritime Washington’s boundaries include the traditional lands of 21 federally recognized Tribes, 13 counties, 32 incorporated cities, and 33 port districts. Maritime Washington’s key functions are partner support, external messaging, and advocacy.

Maritime Washington is guided by three interpretive themes:

PEOPLE: The natural abundance, dramatic landscapes, and geographic diversity of Western Washington’s coastal areas have shaped the people of this region-nurturing the continuous presence of indigenous cultures, attracting waves of newcomers, and leading to strong, often contested regional identities and relationships with the water.

MOVEMENT: Since time immemorial, Washington’s waterways have fostered movement and connection, creating complex local networks and a gateway to the world, bringing together people, goods, and ideas in collaboration and in conflict.

RESOURCES: The richness of Maritime Washington’s natural resources has long fostered vibrant economies built around the water, but the environment and the lifeways that rely upon it are increasingly at risk.

ACE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing rewarding environmental service opportunities for young adults and emerging professionals of all backgrounds to explore and improve public lands while gaining practical professional experience. The EPIC NPS Division works alongside the National Park Service across the United States, from Alaska to Puerto Rico, to support the NPS in its mission to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations“ while providing career promoting individual placement opportunities.


Position Description:

The Mellon Fellow placed with the Maritime Washington NHA will focus on collaboration and research with three Seattle-area Tribes to support better public understanding of and appreciation for Indigenous maritime heritage in the region. Working with selected Tribal partners in the region and archival resources, the Fellow will investigate and document existing Tribal maritime heritage resources and their histories and place them into a broader context of cultural heritage tourism in the region. Key products of this work include a public-facing Regional Tribal Guide to Maritime Washington and associated interpretive materials.

Each NPS Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow will complete work in four areas. Fellows will: (1) perform project-based research; (2) share research results; (3) produce and substantially contribute to interpretive and educational products; and (4) pursue career-focused work.


1) Project-Based Research: During their first year, the Fellow will become acquainted with selected Tribal partners-building off the Washington Trust’s existing relationships-and work with each Tribe (Tribal staff, Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, archivists, and Tribal members) to survey existing resources about their maritime heritage-including papers, books, oral histories, videos, photos, historic sites, maps, traditional place names-and to identify which are appropriate for non-Tribal audiences. They will also interview Tribal members to identify important public-facing maritime sites, interpretive locations, businesses, and other places where people can go to learn about Tribal maritime heritage. At the same time, they will conduct research at non-Tribal archives (the University of Washington, Secretary of State, Seattle branch of the National Archives, etc.) to identify additional existing resources.

While these Tribes already have some public-facing resources about their maritime heritage and culture, there are also stories yet to be shared and/or documented from both past and present, including the histories of cultural heritage resources in the area. Based on their work from year one, and in consultation with their mentorship team and other subject matter experts as needed, the Fellow will propose and shape their project in their second year. This will include working in partnership with Tribes to identify possible gaps in the record. Where gaps can be addressed, the Fellow will conduct original research in conjunction with participating Tribes to uncover, document, and share additional stories and resources. This may include projects such as: researching and compiling maps of traditional place names (for Tribes that do not have this information already documented); researching and writing profiles on historical maritime figures (for example, activists involved in the Fish Wars of the 1960s); and new research and profiles on modern-day Tribal members who work on the water (such as Tribal fishermen, shellfish farmers, scientists, treaty rights offices, members of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, or canoe carvers). This original research will complement the catalogue of Tribal resources developed in the first year, providing context and additional content to enrich the Regional Tribal Guide. These new products may also benefit Tribal archives by creating new materials for their records.


2) Sharing Research Results: The Fellow will produce an inventory/annotated bibliography of Tribal maritime resources in the region that are appropriate to share with non-Tribal audiences, as well as relevant resources identified in external research repositories. This information will be shared with Maritime Washington, Tribal partners, and others as appropriate. In consultation with the mentorship team, the Fellow will disseminate their research in other forms, which might include in-person workshops, digital publications, conference participation, or other interpretive media. The Fellow will also prepare and present in-person and/or virtual “work in progress” talks for appropriate audiences, where they will share their disciplinary perspective, research process, and preliminary findings and insights. More formal presentation(s) of their work will also be offered in-person and virtually to broader NPS, community, and public audiences, as appropriate. Other means of sharing their research results may be developed in consultation with their mentor team, Tribal partners, and community members.

The Fellow will be expected to develop and sustain connections with program-provided mentors and host staff, associated NPS staff, members of their Fellowship cohort, and other Fellows across the tenure of the program. In addition to being provided mentorship and support themselves, the Fellow will have the opportunity to mentor others and to enrich staff knowledge by organizing events such as virtual speaker series and presentations. Twice a year, the Fellow will participate with their cohort and other Fellows in a virtual conference for NPS staff and partners to provide updates about their research. The Fellow will be responsible for tracking and reporting accomplishments and for supplying copies of interpretive, educational, and research products to their host and to the National Coordinator.


3) Interpretive and Educational products: The main interpretive product for this fellowship a Regional Tribal Guide for Maritime Washington. Created in conjunction with Tribal and other partners, the Regional Tribal Guide will present a synthesis of research assets and findings, including introductory and/or supplementary content that contextualizes these resources (including both Tribal sources and the Fellow’s own original research). The Fellow will work with their mentorship team to develop an interactive Guide for the Maritime Washington website that incorporates not only text and photographs, but also maps, oral histories, video clips, and other resources. Public-facing information associated with the Guide will also be added to NPS.gov in the form of StoryMaps, articles, and/or other digital media. The Fellow will work closely with Tribal partners to ensure that the Regional Tribal Guide does not include information that is inappropriate for non-Tribal audiences, and that stories/resources are shared in culturally sensitive formats.

Working with participating Tribal members and their mentorship team, additional interpretive and educational products may be planned and/or developed based on the Regional Tribal Guide and the Fellow’s own research interests. These can include social media, additional web-based content or print media, a podcast, videos, lecture series or other public events (in-person and/or virtual), audio tour, signage, training sessions for regional organizations, brochures, and maps.


4) Career-focused research and products: In consultation with their mentors, the Fellow will carry out a career-centered project. About 20 percent of the Fellowship will be dedicated to this scholarly work that advances the Fellow’s career path. The Fellow will be supported by a multidisciplinary team that draws on local, regional, and agency-wide expertise. In addition to NPS and Maritime Washington NHA staff, the Fellow will have an external mentor whose work is well aligned with this Fellowship.


Essential Responsibilities and Tasks:

Work with Tribal partners and mentors to survey the current landscape of research materials and assets related to Tribal maritime history, identify gaps and/or untold stories, develop a regional context, and identify what content is appropriate for interpretation to non-Tribal audiences.

  • Maintain a respectful, collaborative relationship with all Tribal partners and project stakeholders throughout.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

Must be a PhD in any field of the humanities or humanistic social sciences. Scholars who received or will receive their PhD between May 1, 2019, and August 15, 2024, are eligible to apply. For more information on eligibility, visit the National Park Foundation’s NPS Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow page at https://www.nationalparks.org/nps-mellon-humanities-postdoctoral-fellowship.

  • Selective factors include merit of scholarship, commitment to the public humanities, understanding of Native American cultures, and capacity to complete research and project implementation successfully.

Other Requirements:

Must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required to comply with U.S. government contracts.

  • Consent to being photographed and to the release of such photographic images.

Physical Demands, Work Environment, and Working Conditions:

Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talks and hears with or without assistive personnel and/or devices. Manual dexterity required for use of computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment with or without reasonable accommodations. May be occasionally required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch (all physical demands are required with or without reasonable accommodations). The National Park Service host will provide reasonable accommodations, if needed, to meet task assignments.

  • Travel: This position requires domestic travel as needed for program duties.

Salary & Benefits:

Compensation: Starting annualized salary $67,600 with annualized Cost of Living Adjustment to $70,304 for Year 2 (40 hours/week for 52-weeks). Paid bi-weekly, a two-week pay period.


Medical/Health Benefits: ACE offers competitive medical and ancillary plans (health, mental health, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, and other supplemental benefits). Fellows are also eligible to participate in ACE’s 403b retirement plan, which includes a 1% employer contribution for participating, contributing staff.


Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time: As a Fellow, you will be eligible to accrue up to 80 hours of paid vacation time annually during your first two years of continuous employment. Additionally, ACE observes 13 paid annual holidays and provides 10 days (or 80 hours) of paid sick time annually.


Additional Benefits: Outdoor Perks – As an ACE Fellow, you will be eligible to receive pro deals which include deep discounts on outdoor gear providing 30 – 50% off retail prices on 100s of established outdoor gear brands.


To Apply:

Please submit: 1) a cover letter stating interest and vision for the fellowship (letters may include a summary of the dissertation, a statement of personal research interests and plans, discussion of past engagement with public humanities, discussion of willingness to participate fully in NPS research and education programs); 2. comprehensive curriculum vitae; 3. writing sample accessible to the general public; 4. confirmation of Ph.D. award by August 15, 2024; and 5. names and contact information for 3 professional references.


Deadline to apply: The deadline to apply is Friday December 1, 2023, or until 75 applications have been received.


American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.